Portland Public Library

There's no José here, following the hidden lives of Mexican immigrants, Gabriel Thompson

eng

contains biographical information

no index present

non fiction

There's no José here

77144993

Gabriel Thompson

following the hidden lives of Mexican immigrants

Narrative focuses on the Mexican immigrants who come to the United States, relating their stories, social conditions and working conditionsMexican immigration has become a polarizing issue. Once, Mexicans had a sizable presence in a few select states like California, Texas, Arizona and New York; today the fastest growing populations are in places like North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia and Tennessee. What motivates people to risk their very lives, and why don't Mexicans just "play by the rules" and enter legally? How do they cope, living in a strange country among people that speak a language they can't understand? And after everything they have gone through, do they see immigration as a blessing, a curse, or something in between? This book allows Mexicans in the U.S. to speak in their own words, giving readers a look into their stories as they struggle to survive in a new and often hostile land.--From publisher description

Introduction -- pt. I. USA -- 1. Loud -- 2. Day in court -- 3. A corn stalk grows in Brooklyn -- 4. Making them hurt -- 5. Missing school -- 6. Dreaming of the minimum wage -- 7. Escape from New York City -- 8. Only twelve violations! -- 9. Murder and war -- 10. Under the confederate flag -- 11. A growing family -- pt. II. Mexico -- 12. On the road -- 13. Capital of the world -- 14. Angela -- 15. La fiesta -- 16. Crisis -- 17. We are also abandoned -- 18. Searching for home -- 19. Saying good-bye -- Postscript -- Acknowledgments -- About the author